Japan helps Bougainville with K90mil for 15 bridges

By STEPAHNIE ELIZAH
THE people of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville are grateful to the Japanese go­vernment for supporting a K90 million impact pro­ject to build 15 bridges between North and Central Bougainville, Acting President Patrick Nisira says.
Nisira said this yesterday ahead of the official opening of the Iraka Bridge in Central Bougainville today.
“I can proudly say that is the single most and biggest impact project on Bougainville for the past 20 years,” he said.
“To negotiate this partnership project with the government of Japan and contractor to construct the bridges was not easy as we are regarded as a high risk autonomous region.
“We sincerely thank the people of Japan for supporting our partnership proposal by engaging Kitano as the contractor for our bridge programme,” Nisira said.
He thanked Kitano for the effort, hardship and commitment in facing a challenging task.
He apologised on behalf of the people of Bougainville for any problems with the employees of Kitano that led to the damage of company property.
“I say sorry, on behalf of our people, for the death of your men in the course of their duties on construction sites to help develop Bougainville,” he said.
He assured that the people of Bougainville had great respect for the partnership in the bridge programme and looked forward to future cordial relations and friendship with the government of Japan and its people.
Nisira described the Japanese as hardworking, respectable and sincere.